In addition to offering programs that help students build Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills through dance, Dancing with Class has developed a series of movement games that any educator can use to reinforce SEL skills in a fun and active way. “Don’t You Budge!” is a Self-Management game that helps students develop self-discipline.

Don’t You Budge!

SEL Competency: Self-Management>Self-Discipline

Objective:  To engage and warm up the class while encouraging self-discipline in a fun way.

Space:  Open floor space

Equipment:  Age appropriate music, music speaker

Preparation:  Pick fun upbeat music

Follow the guidelines from the video.  

Dance Game:  Don’t You Budge

Summary

1. Talk to students about the definition of self-discipline.
2. Spread the class out into the dance space and have students stand in a “dance frame” position.
3. Play upbeat music.
4. Pick one volunteer to be the “distractor” (no touching, no talking).  The distractor’s goal is to get their classmates to break focus (ie:  frame).
5. If classmates break their frame, then they are out!

Tips

1. Add more “distractors” for an extra challenge.
2. Use other poses or dance steps to focus on for an extra challenge.  For example, dance basic steps (box step, salsa step, etc.) solo.  Continue to dance that step through the entire song without being distracted.

More SEL Movement Games from Dancing with Class:

• Self-Awareness:  What is Your Emoji?
• Social Awareness:  Mirrors
• Relationship Skills:  May I Have This Dance?
• Responsible Decision Making:  Super Dance Powers

Additional Resources

EduMotion: SEL Journeys – experiential learning for  classrooms around the world.

https://casel.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCmmYcAUQ2E&feature=youtu.be

Also, check out some of our videos from our programs